The present invention relates generally to photonic devices utilized in optical telecommunications, and in particular photonic devices utilizing photosensitive bulk glass bodies which contain Bragg gratings. In particular photonic devices for directing wavelength range bands are provided from ultraviolet photosensitive bulk glass bodies, and preferably from batch meltable alkali boro-alumino-silicate bulk glass bodies.
Optical refractive index Bragg grating patterns formed in bulk glass bodies are utilzed to reflect optical telecommunication wavelengths of light. Such bulk internal Bragg grating devices provide economic and manufacturing benefits for the production of optical telecommunication photonic devices.
The invention includes an optical communications wavelength device for use with wavelength range bands, said device comprising an input optical waveguide collimator, said input optical waveguide collimator collimating an input light beam out of an optical waveguide to provide an unguided input light beam including at least one reflective communications wavelength range band xcexR and at least one communications wavelengths range band xcexn preferably including xcexn1, xcexn2, xcexn3 and xcexn4, a bulk non-waveguiding, internal Bragg grating, said bulk Bragg grating comprised of a transparent photosensitive bulk optical grating medium including an internal modulated refractive index grating with a grating pattern period for reflecting said at least one wavelength range band xcexR, at least one output coupler, said output coupler for outputting at least one output wavelength range band, and a substrate structure for securing said bulk Bragg grating relative to said input collimator and said output coupler, said bulk Bragg grating disposed in said unguided input light beam wherein said at least one wavelengths range band xcexn is transmitted through said bulk Bragg grating and said at least one wavelength range band xcexR is reflected by said bulk Bragg grating.
The invention further includes a method of making an optical communications wavelength device, said method comprising providing an input optical waveguide collimator for producing a collimated unguided input light beam path, providing a bulk internal Bragg grating in a transparent photosensitive bulk optical grating medium, providing a reflected wavelength output coupler and a transmitted wavelength output coupler, securely disposing said provided bulk internal Bragg grating relative to said input optical waveguide collimator, said reflected wavelength output coupler, said transmitted wavelength output coupler, and in the collimated unguided input light beam path wherein a reflected wavelength is reflected by said bulk internal Bragg grating to said reflected wavelength output coupler and a transmitted wavelength is transmitted through said bulk internal Bragg grating and to said transmitted wavelength output coupler.
The invention further includes an optical communications planar integrated waveguide circuit device for operating on communications wavelengths including at least one reflectable wavelength, said device comprising a planar waveguide substrate supporting a waveguiding integrated circuit core and a waveguiding integrated circuit cladding covering said core, said planar waveguide substrate comprised of a transparent photosensitive bulk optical grating medium, said transparent photosensitive bulk optical grating medium containing within it a bulk Bragg internal modulated refractive index grating with a grating pattern for reflecting at least one reflectable wavelength, said refractive index grating proximate adjacent said core wherein a reflectable wavelength guided by said core is reflected by said refractive index grating.
The invention further includes a method of making an optical planar integrated waveguide circuit, said method comprising providing a transparent photosensitive bulk optical grating medium planar waveguide substrate having a near core side, forming a waveguiding integrated circuit core, cladding said core, forming a bulk Bragg internal modulated refractive index grating in said transparent photosensitive bulk optical grating medium planar waveguide substrate proximate said near core side wherein a waveguided wavelength guided by said core is reflected manipulated by said refractive index grating.
The invention further includes an optical waveguide semiconductor laser device for an optical waveguide communications system, said device comprising an optical waveguide system semiconductor laser for producing a reflectable wavelength xcexR utilized in an optical waveguide system, preferably a pump or signal laser a bulk internal Bragg laser grating, said bulk Bragg laser grating comprised of a transparent photosensitive bulk optical grating medium including an internal modulated refractive index grating with a grating period for reflecting said wavelength xcexR, a substrate structure for securing said bulk Bragg laser grating relative to said semiconductor laser wherein said wavelength xcexR produced by said semiconductor laser is reflected by said bulk internal Bragg laser grating back into said semiconductor laser. Preferably semiconductor laser device comprises a signal laser or a pump laser.
The invention further includes a method of making an optical waveguide semiconductor laser device, said method comprising providing a bulk internal Bragg laser grating in a transparent photosensitive bulk optical grating medium, providing an optical waveguide system semiconductor laser for producing an optical waveguide system wavelength securely disposing said bulk optical grating medium relative to said semiconductor laser wherein a wavelength produced by said semiconductor laser is reflected by said bulk internal Bragg laser grating back into said semiconductor laser.
The invention further includes an optical communications wavelength optical element for operating on light range bands, said optical element comprised of a transparent photosensitive bulk optical grating medium, preferably a photosensitive bulk glass, said optical element having at least one optical element optical surface for manipulating light, said bulk glass including an internal modulated refractive index Bragg grating pattern for reflecting at least one wavelength range band.
The invention further includes a multi-mask grating former, said grating former comprised of a first grating phase mask and an opposing second grating phase mask and a phase mask spacing structure, said phase mask spacing structure securing said first phase mask away from said second phase mask to provide a photosensitive optical grating medium receiver space for reception of a photosensitive optical grating medium between said first and second masks with said first phase mask in alignment with said second phase mask.
The invention further includes a method of making an optical waveguide communications wavelength device, said method comprising providing an input optical waveguide collimator for producing a collimated unguided input light beam path from an optical waveguide, providing a bulk internal Bragg grating in a transparent photosensitive bulk optical grating medium, providing a wavelength output waveguide coupler, securely disposing said provided bulk internal Bragg grating relative to said input optical waveguide collimator, said output coupler, and in the collimated unguided input light beam path wherein a reflected wavelength is reflected by said bulk internal Bragg grating and a transmitted wavelength is transmitted through said bulk internal Bragg grating. In an embodiment the reflected wavelength is outputted. In a further embodiment the transmitted wavelength is outputted. In a further embodiment the reflected wavelength is outputted to a first output coupler and a transmitted wavelength is outputted to a second output coupler.